A recommended reading: hurricane DEBBIE, from 1961 season.

[Pedro Fernández]

I found this interesting paper about DEBBIE a lot of months ago, but I have wanted to read it carefully before saying something. This is one of the most interesting tropical cyclones developed in the Atlantic Basin. Its structure was very well organized before reaching open waters of the Atlantic Ocean, while it was yet well inland Africa. It only took 48 hours to reach hurricane strenght since it touch the sea. Moreover, it could reach Ireland keeping hurricane force & structure, before making an extratropical transition.

Here is an exceptional paper about it, in PDF: AN INCIPIENT HURRICANE NEAR THE WEST AFRICAN COAST
http://docs.lib.noaa.gov/rescue/mwr/091 ... 2-0061.pdf

I would like to know your thoughts about it. Thanks!

[Macrocane]

Interesting, I have a question, at what time was coined the term "Cape Verde Hurricane"? anybody knows?

[Cyclenall]

This was interesting to read.

[Pedro Fernández]

Interesting, I have a question, at what time was coined the term "Cape Verde Hurricane"? anybody knows?

Good question..................

Something about Cape Verde-Type Hurricanes: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_Verde-type_hurricane

I can't find anything about the origin of that term. Perhaps it is as old as other terms related to tropical cyclones used by NHC.

[Ed Mahmoud]

Debbie never hit the US, but killed 11 in Ireland as it hit while undergoing extra-tropical transition.

Now that hurricanes Katrina and Rita have blown themselves out and a big clean-up is underway in the USA we turn our thoughts to the horrific hurricane that hit the west of Ireland in September 1961.
Country people will recall mini-cyclones that occurred frequently during the summer haymaking season, lifting center of circulation of hay or clamps of turf into the air carrying them for a distance before dropping them hack to ground again.
Older people called these sídhe gaoithe or fairy winds. They paled into insignificance when compared with Hurricane Debbie.
Saturday September 16, 1961, started as a dry sunny harvest day.
A gentle westerly breeze gave no forewarning of what was in store. After midday a perceptible rise in wind force was accompanied by an ominous whine. Strange tattered cloud fiormations appeared in the sky. Soon the wind rose to a crescendo as it tore through trees and over roof tops.
The sound of flapping shed roofs and crashing trees could be heard above the ear splining noise of the storm. To be abroad was dangerous, apart from being knocked over or carried away by the intensity of the gale there was a danger of being hit by flying branches or dislodged slates. People who attempted to rope down icosened roofs were forced to abandon their efforts.
The downwind side of our house overlooked a range of farm buildings, a barn, a byre and some stores.
Helpless to intervene, I watched in horror as, one by one, roof sheets were lifted from the rafters and carried away in the wind.
The main trunk of a sturdy beech tree, snapped in two, was lifted over the top of an adjacent two-storey house and deposited among cars parked in the yard behind. One after another mature trees crashed to the ground and lay sprawled across walls and fences blocking driveways and access to the public road.
The storm-force gales continued for more than four hours.
When these abated the scene resembled a battlefield, debris carried on the wind lay piled in heaps against west facing walls and fences, buckets, barrels, cans and empty sacks were impaled on bushes and hedges, gates lifted from their hinges swung at oblique angles or lay fiat on the ground, hay and sheaves of corn, carried from God knows where, were piled on top of each other in sheltered comers.
Throughout the countryside the aftermath of the hurricane was devastating. A trail of destruction was everywhere, walls and fences had been levelled; animals wandered unrestricted roads were blocked by fallen trees.
Telephone and electric cables were blown down. Town streets were littered with broken slates and glass, windows blown in, tumbled chimney stacks left gaping holes in roofs, road signs had been carried away – nothing appeared to have escaped.
Darkness and torrential rainfall inhibited anything more than cursory examination of the damage until next day when a comprehensive clean-up began. Emergency measures were initiated to make roads passble. Little by little electricity supplies and telephone communications were restored.
Repair men were callcd in to repair broken windows and roofs. It took weeks to asscss thc damagc causcd by Hurricane Debbie. Thanfully, casualties and personal injuries were minimal.

[Pedro Fernández]

It is not clear, then, if DEBBIE reached Ireland keeping hurricane status, before making an extratropical transition, or after...

Thanks, Ed!

[Aslkahuna]

The term Cape Verde Hurricane was in use in Ivan Tannehill's book on hurricanes which orginally came out in the 1950's.

Steve

[Iune]

It is not clear, then, if DEBBIE reached Ireland keeping hurricane status, before making an extratropical transition, or after...

Thanks, Ed!

It remained a hurricane until it was near Northern Ireland.